Charge pumps commonly used in association with hydrostatic pumps and transmissions are of the gerotor type. One such charge pump is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,931, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. The charge pump shown in that patent is affixed to an exterior surface of the housing and is driven by an input shaft. In another known configuration, the charge pump is located within the same housing as the center section on which rotating components are mounted, in the space between the center section and an internal surface of the housing.
While these charge pumps serve an important function, they are relatively costly. Furthermore, in the aforementioned designs the charge pumps are attached at a position on the underside of a center section, potentially increasing the required housing size and/or reducing ground clearance. Also, it is often necessary to provide complicated connections between the prior art charge pump and the hydraulic porting of a pump or hydrostatic transmission. Thus, there is a need for a charge pump of reduced size, complexity and cost.